By Gwen Davis

A group of West Seattle homeowners cut 100+ trees, to make for better views. The massive cutting took place in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, according to a statement from the homeowners’ lawyer released this past week. The clearing gives homes at the top of the hill a better view of Seattle’s skyline. However, it also makes the steep hill vulnerable to landslides. The operation was illegal.

Christina Hirsch of Seattle Parks and Recreation said the department was “shocked and very upset” to learn about this. It left as many as 153 trees dead, most of them generations old.

The lawyer representing the homeowners released a letter to the media last week. One part included:

“A client … along with other neighbors, hired a landscaping business to top and prune some trees to improve the view from their respective residences. After limited discussions with the contractors, my client returned from an out-of-town trip to find the scene shown in the news reports: To our clients’ surprise and dismay, several trees were cut at or near the base, as opposed to just limited pruning work.”

Many Seattle residents are watching the city’s response on this situation. City attorney Pete Holmes is considering criminal charges, and his office has vowed to “make sure the city is made whole and try to deter future conduct,” according to coverage by Crosscut.

The city was informed through the lawyer about the clearcutting on Feb. 5. It was reported in The Seattle Times roughly two months later. No Seattle Police Department was on record as of this past week, according to Crosscut.

Joe Szilagyi, West Seattle resident and activist began a petition to have the city criminalize the neighbors' action. It already has more than 500 supporters.

There are a number of previous incidents where no one ever even saw prosecution from doing this,” the petition began. "This past week, we learned of the most shocking event like this to happen in some time, where an entire acre of public land was deforested and clear cut in a dangerous slope area."
"Seattle is a city of steep hills and slopes, all of them forested and many of them prone to landslides. The trees that grow there are all that protect our homes, schools, and businesses from erosion and destruction. Many of these greenbelts are public property, specifically to protect our population. Unfortunately, there are a number of events where homeowners have selfishly cut down trees to improve their views and increase their property values, endangering the lives of everyone that lives around and below them."

The petition calls on the Seattle City Council to enforce fees and jail time, per tree.

"As they are specifically criminal offenses, Seattle Police should handle these as overt crimes against public property first and foremost: arrests,” the petition continues. "If I went and did $500,000 in damage to City Hall or the main branch of the library by smashing out every single window I could find, how long would it take for SPD to arrest me, put on handcuffs, and take me away? This crime committed in West Seattle is of an even greater magnitude as it can cause landslides onto the roads below or even cause multiple homes to collapse."
The petition also calls upon other agencies, such as the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to evaluate the damages done, and demands that in the future there will be a procedure for such crimes.

The full petition can be read here.

Councilmember Lisa Herbold likewise denounced the clearcutting, and said in a news release that the city will take this seriously.

"The City Attorney’s Office said that restoration costs are expected to be at least several hundred thousand dollars, and could involve felony charges,” she said in the news release. "I have been assured by the City Attorney that both criminal and civil sanctions are on the table for the responsible parties."

"The sanctions must be significant enough to deter this kind of activity in the future. Penalties need to be strong enough so that those with financial means don’t see illegal tree cutting as a cost-effective way to increase their views and property values,” she said.

Read Herbold's full statement here.